AU suggests “borderless Africa”
In the African Union’s ‘Africa Visa Openness Report 2024’, Ghana ranked fifth in the continent for visa openness, with four countries ranking joint first – Benin, Seychelles, the Gambia, and Rwanda – scoring 1.0. But the African Union has now urged for free movement of people across all AU member states.
Ghana scored an Africa Visa Openness Index of 0.868, highlighting the country as one excelling towards visa openness for visitors from other African countries. This AVOI score measures visa-openness for casual travel, unrelated to rights of residence or business.
Following this report, at the annual African Union summit, the AU has urged for free movement across the 55 AU member states.
Speaking at the summit, at a strategic dialogue on visa-free movement, AU Commissioner for economic development, trade, tourism, industry and minerals Albert M. Muchanga urged for legal pathways to facilitate a “borderless Africa”.
He claimed that 80% of African migration occurs within the African continent, with only 20% migrating to Europe or other continents. “When you call for a borderless Africa, you are absolutely right”, he stated, ““Africans should be able to create their future where opportunities present themselves across our continent, Africans should move freely”.
He urged that the free movement of people would enhance intra-African trade, service availability, and would spread the required workforce, new ideas, technologies, and business and political leadership.
“In the African Union, we urge for the protocol of the African economic community for free movement of people, right of residence, and right of establishment”, he stated.
This follows the 2024 report, which noted that for African travel to Ghana, 26 countries do not require a visa, 25 countries require a visa on arrival, and 2 countries require a pre-arranged visa.
However, on the continent, the report found that 47% of intra-African travel still requires a visa before travelling, triggering the AU’s concerns. 28% of intra-African travel does not require a visa, and 25% allows a visa on arrival.
The report suggests that countries extend visa-free travel policies for business related to the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, due to optimism regarding its implementation. A World Bank study on the economic impacts of the AfCFTA14 estimates that total African exports would increase by almost 29% by 2035, driven mostly by an expected substantial increase in intraAfrican trade in African made goods and services.
The report also advised that visa costs remain reasonable, as it is unclear whether they cover administration and maintenance overhead costs, or are a lucrative source of revenue.
Ghana does not currently offer E-visas, while 26 countries on the continent do. The report noted the increase of E-visa use, but warned that “several e-visa systems do not necessarily offer the expected convenience, or security of data”. In some sites availability of information was inactive or unclear. It suggests guaranteed response times, on secure and encrypted platforms.
18 of the top-20 countries for visa-openness are lower-middle-income or low-income countries, embracing liberal visa regimes.
The report stated that “many Africans still face significant visa hurdles when crossing into neighbouring countries, not only restricting access to opportunities for curious travellers, but also constraining the dreams of young entrepreneurs, and professionals”. The upcoming African Union elections will play a key role in carrying these suggestions forward.
